Autumn – Letters from Athens

An Autumn Recipe

Now that summer stone fruit are over, it is time for the humble pear to take up the slack. OK, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and here in Normandy we are spoilt for choice with crisp, sweet-tasting apples.

The pear, however, must not be disregarded, although it is a bit of a bother to get it right—one minute they are stone hard, the next nearly too soft. One must always keep an eagle eye on them.

Pears are lovely eaten with some kind of blue cheese—Saint Agur, Fourme D’Ambert or Stilton—and walnuts. And the lot is good in a fresh green salad. Here in Normandy they make a refreshing pear cider, called poiré; but pears are great cooked, too. Poached in red wine or maple syrup, or baked with honey, vanilla and ginger.

I have discovered a wonderfully easy and deliciously homey recipe for pear cake, which I will herewith share with you.

CINNAMON PEAR CAKE
1 1/2 cup flour (I use a half-wholemeal flour but normal will do)
3/4 (scant) cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup canola oil (I use half my Greek Olive oil)
2 pears or more, peeled and cut into chunks
2/3 cup walnuts (or pecans), chopped. Optional (mostly I don’t use them)

Easy one-bowl mixing. First mix the flour, sugar, BP, salt and cinnamon—add the vanilla and egg—mix in the oil—fold in the pears. The chunks needn’t be too small, and bits of pear should be poking out of the batter, otherwise add more. The batter will be very thick. Put in a greased tin and smooth as much as you can . I usually sprinkle some cane sugar on the top to give it some crunch. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 45-55’ depending on your oven.

You’re welcome ☺️

La rentrée

La rentrée is the French expression for the end of summer, when everyone returns from their holidays and the kids go back to school. An expression guaranteed to provoke annoyance if not anxiety in childish breasts. As a child in Greece, I remember being enervated by cliché talk of ‘the first rains’ (after months of drought) and ‘every rascal goes back to his desk’. It was the last thing we wanted to hear after running around barefoot and half-naked for three months. Back to ghastly leather shoes and blue overalls with white collars.

Be that as it may, the days are drawing in and there is a chill in the air.

*I have been painting a lot, inspired by summer bouquets. Peonies, watercolour on paper*

After a very busy but pleasurable summer, with all the family here and meals for up to fifteen people (necessitating endless shopping, cooking and cleaning up!)—al fresco lunches and barbecue dinners—we are back to being à deux. The garden is, somewhat belatedly, providing us with plenty of tomatoes, courgettes, green beans and lettuce, so I am planning some healthy eating after the plethora of ice creams and chocolate eclairs.

*Greek Interior. Oil on hardback book cover*

I am determined to avoid the horrendous news as much as possible (why are most politicians so hideous?) and cocooning with painting, writing and reading. I have neglected the blog for weeks, due to lack of time and inspiration, but will now do some catching up on summer activities. Also resuming the puppy’s training, since he has become horribly spoiled by everyone.

But he is helping pick the blackberries 🙂

Cyclamen, tomatoes and olives

Autumn is a good time to head out for a country walk. It’s not too hot and it’s rained already, so the hillsides are dotted with wild cyclamen. I pick bunches of them and put them in small pots, which are then spread around the house. My dog has learned to be patient while I am foraging. Today she investigated various interesting items, the most fascinating of which was a very dead, flattened frog which I had to prise from her with great difficulty, my orders of ‘Drop it!’ having no effect whatsoever.

Below please admire the results of my Saturday morning outing.

This is also the time to enjoy the last sun-ripened tomatoes. I do make a small batch of sauce for the winter, the emphasis being on small, since I can’t be bothered to sterilize jars and just put them in plastic boxes in the freezer.

Meanwhile, the olives are ripening on the trees. Already we have put up a few green ones in brine. We call them tsakistes (smashed) since you have to crack them with a stone. Soon it will be time to pick them. The groves will be full of people gathering and the roads will be full of tractors taking them to the press.

And for a more melancholic autumnal mood, I am re-posting Josephine‘s stunning photograph. She calls it ‘September’, but in Greece September is still summer to all intents and purposes.